Wedding Reception

Esther

My father and I walk down the aisle on the beach, wearing a designer gown by Alonzo, the most expensive vampire fashion designer.

I smile back at about 200 smiling vampires who have the highest ranks as we walk. I avert my gaze to Charles on the altar, and he sheds a tear, getting a reaction of "awwww!" from those who believe that he is not faking it.

Bernard, Charles's father, officiates the wedding, and I zone in and out of Charles' speech about how much he loves me.

After saying our vows, we all take a large private plane to San Bernardino, one of the Du Pont Forests.

We go to the beautifully decorated garden, and as expected, Margaret outdid herself.

"How did I do?" She fidgets nervously with her hands.

I pause for dramatic effect. "You outdid yourself," I smile, and her face immediately lights up. I hold her in a hug, telling her that I'm glad we are sisters, but in my heart, I secretly wish that Charles wasn't the reason that brought us together.

Charles and I sit in front, listening to unending speeches and vampires pledging their alliance to us.

Charles holds my hand the entire time and continues to kiss my cheek every five minutes, eliciting jealous stares from Joan, who struggles to keep her eyes off us.

‘You might be getting attention from him, but he’ll be in my bed tonight,’ she sends me a telepathy.

‘You have been his mistress for 800 years,' I retort, while my father, King Richard, speaks about how happy he is to have gained a son and a new family.

'We were going to get married eventually until you and your pathetic family showed up.'

'What were you waiting for? Were you in a talking stage? That must have been the longest talking stage in the history of talking stages. Why are you doing this to yourself?’ I smirk at her, and everyone laughs, thinking I'm smirking due to what my father probably said.

'What did you say to her?' Charles send a telepathy.

'We were just talking, nothing much. I was telling her to know her place.'

He glares at me for a second before quickly turning his frown into a smile.

Charles gets up to speak, his gaze soft, making me almost believe that he cares about me.

"I have finally found my one. After searching for centuries. I thought I was going to die a two-thousand-year-old bachelor until I met her."

He pauses as everyone laughs, his eyes and smile focused on me.

"When our parents suggested that we get married, I was overjoyed. My father threatened to force me, but I told him that there was no need. I had been crushing on Esther for centuries, but who could ever approach the beautiful and amazing Princess Esther?"

Everyone murmurs in agreement.

He raises a glass of red wine. "To Esther, my future queen, who has always been able to bring out the best in me."

We all clap, and I return his fake smile.

I get up to speak, not knowing what to say when we hear a commotion taking place near the garden entrance.

King Bernard, my father-in-law gets up and comes to the front.

"Don't be alarmed. It's our guards bringing the poison amongst our species, the vampires who drink animal blood!" He says, his face marred with contempt.

I gaze at my family, and my father shifts in his seat as King Bernard talks with so much passion and anger about these vampires and their disrespect.

"Hold on, my son has a suggestion." King Bernard gazes at Charles as they speak telepathically.

"My son here wanted to suggest that our future queen's first job will be to bring these vegetarian vampires to justice. Who agrees?"

Everyone's hands go up, including my family.

Charles gets up to speak. "I would like to honor our future queen by giving her this honorable task, which I know she will carry with grace and honor. The essence of being a vampire is drinking human blood, and these vampires who call themselves 'vegetarians,'" he grimaces as he says it. "These vegetarians show that they are ashamed of the essence of their very being. So, why should they exist?"

All the guests murmur, and I watch my family nodding along.

"We say they should get thrown into the dungeon, and my beautiful queen should lead this trial tomorrow," Charles bows to me, and I smile and nod.

'Did you feed enough this morning?' Jane sends a telepathy, the nervousness in her tone unmasked.

'Yes, I wouldn't want you all to suspect me of exposing myself on purpose.'

'That is not true. You know we care about...'

'Don't you dare, Jane!' I interject. 'I never expected this betrayal from you. How could you not tell me that Dominic is my mate?'

Her face drops. 'Look, Esther, I was trying to protect you.'

'Oh! You are really good at that, aren't you? You always know what's good enough for me. You thought I was going to go after him if I knew. You never trusted me.'

‘This is more complicated than you think.'

I ignore her, and focus my gaze on my parents who are looking at each other, their changing facial expressions informing me that they are in deep discussion.

I get up for my speech, and I try to look at Charles with what everyone will assume is love as I string together quotes from movies about love.

"My lady, may I have the first dance?" Charles kisses my cheek when I'm done and then extends his hand to me. We slow dance as I think about the vampires whom I'm going to have to sentence to death because they got caught and my family haven't yet.